Should we really have the police in schools?

1. 73

   Victoria Stephensposted 13 years ago

   All the local schools in my area have police officers that stay at school all day on duty.
   
   Are schools becoming more like prisons or is it a good idea?
   Do you think it affect the kids in anyway?

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      No_Clueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      In today's world, I think its a sad necessity. It is commonplace for weapons of all kinds to show up at school. In eighth grade, my youngest son wanted to carry a switchblade on him, for protection, because one of his classmates showed up at school with a gun...how sad is that! And that was nearly ten years ago. Police at school...I vote yes!

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         No_Clueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         an addendum...I confiscated the switch blade which I found in his drawer.

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         Victoria Stephensposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah it's a bit worrying when you hear things like that. It's a shame any of the kids think of terms of needing a gun or a knife and other such things.  Makes me sonder where the world is heading over the next 10 years.xxx

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      qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I can't think of a reason why not.
      
      Qwark

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      1. 73

         Victoria Stephensposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         It just seems harsh but in todays world, I guess it's really just me being nieve! xxx

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            qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Victoria:
            If you don't make a big deal of it, neither will your child.
            ...and your child might like seeing a "nice" policeman on campus.
            The "cop" has to be one who loves and respects kids if he is to gain the respect and love of the kids!
            If it was the school my kid was going to, I'd wanna meet the cops!
            Qwark

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      Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It's a complete and utter failure of the populace to recognize the cause of problems, like school violence, that cause such obscene solutions as criminalizing a larger percentage of the populace than any nation on Earth, and putting police officers in schools.  We've a cancerous, corrosive, and completely monopolized media in the United States of America, and over a course of years, they've cooked their frog.
      
      Frog cooking????  You can put a frog into room temp water, and bring that water slowly to boil, and cook a frog.  If you throw a frog into very hot water, he'll jump out, and be a very pissed off frog.

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         Victoria Stephensposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Jeeze poor frog!  It is a strange world we live in.xxx

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      Lisa HWposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I don't really think a lot of kids would see having police around school as "like prison".  The tough-nut kids who bring knives are likely to see the police as "prison guards", but I don't think decent kids who aren't going to make trouble for anyone else would (because they know they don't plan to do anything the police would try stop).  If the school is rough enough that someone brought in police, I'd imagine a lot of kids may actually kind of be glad they're there.  Or, if someone has reason to think there could be a security threat at the school, I'm not sure most would see having police there to watch them, rather than to watch out for someone else who may attack the school.
      
      After 911 my kids' high school had a performance.  It's a nice school in a generally nice town, and there aren't usually police there.  That night, though, they had a bunch of police standing around.  Apparently, someone was worried about the same kind of thing everyone else was.   Most people saw it as "just a precaution" and ignored the fact that police were around.  There weren't police at future performances.
      
      When I was in elementary school we had "Jack, the policeman" (a traffic cop) help us cross the street every day.  We saw him as a pleasant guy who was there to keep us safe.  Young kids often see police as people who keep other people safe (unless adults color their view of them).

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         Victoria Stephensposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I hadn't thought much about it from the kid’s point of view and the fact that they would see it as someone watching out for them.  We do live in a rough area where knives, guns and murders are quite common so I can see the benefit of police in schools. 
         
         It's just strange for me as I originally grew up somewhere else and we could play in the next field at break time and not lock up front doors etc.  I don't suppose it's like that anywhere now.
         
         Very nice input and point of view, thank you for taking the time.xxx

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2. 67

   Michael Willisposted 13 years ago

   It is a sad situation that cops are required at or around schools for their protection. I wouldn't see it as a prison.
   Bullied kids might have a safe haven if a cop was near.
   Drug dealers will use kids to target other kids in schools.
   Pedophiles less likely to come on campus with cops around.
   Weapons on school campuses.

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   1. 73

      Victoria Stephensposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      There certainly seems an awful lot of good reasons for having police around the place when you word it like that.  That's the cold harsh reality of it though.xxx

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   2. 73

      Victoria Stephensposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      There certainly seems an awful lot of good reasons for having police around the place when you word it like that.  That's the cold harsh reality of it though.xxx

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3. 80

   Me, Steve Waltersposted 13 years ago

   Yep...if it deters even one school shooting it is worth it. No child should have to fear for their life while in school. The money invested in every school having at least one officer in place would be a wise investment. Ultimately that would mean us being taxed for this...but I'd gladly pay my District for that expense over building elite Stadiums. 
   
   Don't look at it as a prisoned police state mentality thing. Look at it as beefing-up Security to keep every child safe. Put the blame on the cowards that shot-up their fellow classmates and school staff. If there is a way to prevent or slow that down...we should do it!

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